HCV Management in Primary Care: Closing Treatment Gaps in Rural and Underserved Communities

varget Audience
This activity is designed specifically for primary care clinicians, registered nurses, and advanced practice registered nurses who care for patients from rural and underserved areas.

Program Overview
The introduction of direct-acting oral antiviral agents (DAAs) has transformed the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV), leading to high cure rates and short treatment durations. Despite these advances, the use of new DAAs in rural and underserved communities is low owing to limited access to specialty care, distance, and travel time. Expanding primary care capacity to treat HCV infection is therefore critical to improving access and reducing barriers to treatment. This case-based CME/CE activity will review current testing recommendations, therapy selection, and follow-up care after the completion of treatment for HCV. Strategies to improve multidisciplinary care and overcome barriers in rural and underserved areas will also be explored.

This enduring activity is a recorded session from the 3rd Annual Rural Health Clinical Congress that took place on November 20, 2021.

Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this activity, participants should be better able to:

Differentiate between available treatment regimens for HCV based on their clinical safety and efficacy
Apply current treatment recommendations and the latest clinical evidence to appropriately treat patients with HCV
Implement strategies to overcome barriers and improve multidisciplinary HCV care in rural and underserved communities